CJ Koome reshuffles Court of Appeal Judges, deploys the newly appointed ones

Chief justice Martha Koome has reshuffled judges in Court of Appeal and deployed the seven newly appointed ones.

This comes three weeks after the seven new judges were appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

In a statement, Koome said the transfers has been done with accordance with the Transfer Policy that stipulates appellate judges are required to serve in one station for two years only.

“The transfers are done in accordance with the Transfer Policy of the Court of Appeal that spells out clearly how long a judge should serve in one station, among other issues,” read the statement.

The newly appointed judges Mumbi ngugi and Francis Tuiyott have been posted to Kisumu while Justices Pauline Nyamweya and Jesie Lesiit Wanjiku will head to Mombasa.

Three other newly appointed Judges Msagha Mbogholi, Hellen Omondi and Dr Imaana laibuta have been posted to Nairobi

In the new posting, Justices Daniel Musinga will serve as President, Court of Appeal Nairobi, Lady Justice Hannah Okwengu, Head- Civil Division, Nairobi, Justice Mohamed Warsame, COA Representative to Judicial Service Commission, Nairobi, Justice Asike Makhandia, Head, Criminal Division, Nairobi and Justice Kathurima M’Inoti as Director, Judiciary Training Institute, Nairobi.

Nine judges posted to Nairobi are full time judges with no extra duties.

They include; Lady Justices Roselyn Nambuye, Wanjiru Karanja, Agnes Murgor, Fatuma Sichale, Jamila Mohammed, Hellen Omondi and Justices Imaana Laibuta, Sankale ole Kantai and Msagha Mbogholi.

Justice Francis Tuiyott and Lady Justice Mumbi Ngugi have been posted in Kisumu as well as Patrick Kiage who will become the presiding judge.

Justice Gatembu Kairu will become the presiding judge in Mombasa while Lady Justices Pauline Nyamweya and Jessie Lesiit will serve as judges.

The new judges are to help in easing the heavy backlog in the Court of Appeal.

The law on the transfer and service of Court of Appeal judges requires that after  completion of two years in a station outside Nairobi, a judge should be transferred to serve in Nairobi while waiting for the next rotation.

That should be to a station other than the one he or she served immediately before returning to Nairobi, unless the judges opts in writing to continue serving in another outside station.

The Judges will report to their new stations on July 1, 2021.